Always Welcome at the Potters'
by BatKate
Summary: Teddy desperately needs advice, so he goes straight to his godfather. He probably should have called ahead. (Set just before the Epilogue. Rated T for language and references to adult activities.)


It was 11:45 when Teddy Remus Lupin decided that pacing restlessly was getting him fuck-all nowhere. He had left the party and gotten back to his flat over two hours before and he thought he could put it out of his brain or at least sleep but nope! He just kept pacing and muttering to the furniture. He was 19 years old — considered an adult even in the muggle world — but he had no bloody idea what to do. Grandmother always told him growing up that he was too much like his mother when it came to things that worried him — once a nerve-wracking thought planted itself in his brain, it was nearly impossible for him to let it go. So something had to be done. And he knew where he needed to go.

Teddy wasn't sure why he was so anxious as he got ready by the fireplace. After all, this would hardly be the first unannounced visit to Godric's Hollow — he practically lived there in the summers growing up. Hell, setting up the floo connection between his apartment and the cottage was one of the first things he did after moving into the place some 14 months ago. He could always depend on his godfather for advice … and he sure did need it now. So with a newfound boost of courage, he stepped into the fireplace and called "Potter Cottage, Godric's Hollow."

A second later, he stepped out of the Potters' fireplace, barely registering weird noises coming from upstairs. Walking carefully up the stairs to avoid waking up the kids, Teddy turned left into the master bedroom, hoping he wouldn't have to stir his godfather awake.

"Hey Uncle Harry? I— AHHH!"

In the dark, his Uncle Harry let out a "Shit!" and his Aunt Ginny shrieked … from her position on top of his uncle. Teddy's hands shot to his eyes in vain.

"I'm sorry!"

"Teddy," Harry panted, quickly covering his wife and his lower bits with the blanket, "what the hell—"

"Shit, sorry!" he shouted again. "I thought—didn't think … I needed to see you—"

"Did something happen?" Harry said, leaning over the side of the bed to grab some clothes, "Is everyone alright? Your grandmother or any of the kids?"

"No," Teddy said quickly, "No, no emergency."

"Merlin's saggy tit, Teddy," Harry said, more than a little irritated, "You can't just come in without knocking—"

"I know and I sorry, I just … needed to talk." Teddy looked up at his uncle, just hoping he wouldn't turn him away. His uncle paused and gave him a funny look before looking towards his wife, who had managed to sufficiently tuck herself in under the covers.

Aunt Ginny exhaled. "Sure," she said, turning on the light, "I have an opinion piece I need to get done before the Magpie/Harpies match, anyway."

Harry smiled. "I'll be back soon, love."

"You better, Potter," she smirked as he gave her a kiss.

Harry stood up, now thankfully in a pair of sleep bottoms and an Aurors training tee, and led Teddy out of the room. "Come on," he said, "let's get a drink."

As they made their way downstairs and to the kitchen, Teddy tried his best to forget what he had walked in on. Truly Teddy could have seen much worse, but he still saw his aunt in lingerie and way too much of his uncle's hairy legs and upper thighs and possibly bollocks. Even with the lights off, the image was bad enough for Teddy to consider obliviating himself.

"So," Harry said with a stretch, "you wanted to talk?"

Teddy nodded.

"Is this is a butterbeer problem or firewhiskey problem?" Harry said as they got to the kitchen.

"It's … a girl," Teddy said.

Harry looked at him. "Right. Firewhiskey it is." He grabbed two glasses and poured out healthy portions of Ogden's. They clinked their glasses and Teddy took the first sip slow, knowing how strong the stuff was.

"So," Harry said, setting the glass down, "It's Victoire, isn't it?"

Teddy didn't know you COULD inhale firewhiskey, but his throat and nose was burning like crazy as he coughed up the drink.

"I'd say that's a yes," Harry laughed, doing his best to pat his godson's back as he got back his breath.

"You knew?" he managed after a few minutes of hacking.

Harry eyed him. "You really think you could hiding something like that? I'm an Auror, Ted … I've interrogated the darkest of dark wizards. I'm specially trained in the art of observation … also Ginny told me because she noticed it first." He coughed and took a drink.

"How long ago was this?" Teddy dared to ask.

Harry shrugged. "I don't know … two years ago?"

"Of course," he groaned.

"To tell you the truth, I would have figured it out anyway. Your hair turned dark blue just now when I asked what the problem was," Harry smiled from behind his glass. "That's your 'I'm thinking about Vic' hair."

Teddy sighed, "I'm in so much trouble."

"So is this just you figuring it out or did something actually happen at the party?"

Teddy took another drink. "Okay…"

* * *

"So, Head Girl, huh?" Teddy said, taking a drag of his cigarette. The sun had started to go down on the Weasley's End of Summer party, but the Burrow shed was still hazy from the late August heat. He blew the smoke out the open awning window.

"Yep," Vic said, grabbing the cigarette from his fingers and putting it between her lips.

"Hey!" Teddy said indignantly, trying to snatch it back from her, "Smoking is bad for you, Weasley!"

"What are you going to do, Lupin … dock points?" she teased, taking another drag. He tried to act huffy and miffed at her for stealing his cig (just like she used to steal his pumpkin juice or chocolate frogs), but he couldn't feel too annoyed when her mouth was on the thing that was just betwenn his own lips. And he started thinking of her mouth on other things … like his neck or his lips or his—

"I'm already sick of it," she said, breaking him out of his very dangerous, very shouldn't be having them thoughts.

"Sick of what, Vic?"

She looked at him. "School. I'm already sick of it and I don't even go back for another three days."

"Ah," he said, still eying her mouth.

She sighed. "Is this what 7th year felt like to you? Just … waiting for it all to be over?"

"You might not feel that way when you get there, you know," he said, finally taking out a new cigarette since she wasn't looking to give him the other one back, "Lots of stuff to do your last year. And you've got Head Girl privileges."

"Hmm," she looked at her cig in thought, rolling it between her fingers, "I guess I could get another boyfriend."

"Now I didn't say THAT," he added, trying to play it off as playful even if he was just shouting "NO" in his brain.

Victoire laughed. "You always make a fuss when I date, Teddy. Why is that?" And she looked right at him, biting her lip. Teddy hoped she couldn't see his adam's apple move as he gulped.

"Well," he said, "I know all the boys in your class and they're all pricks. If you must date, Miss Weasley, don't date a prick this time. And since they're all pricks, you shouldn't date." Silence filled the shed — Teddy could hear the younger kids enjoying the newest products from WW, care of George and Angelina. He just hoped his stupid sort of logic stuck with her. His year or so since graduation taught him that even if he didn't have to see it happening in front of him everyday, knowing someone else got to hold her and kiss her and do who knows what else to her was still like torture. But she hadn't dated anyone since before Christmas and he wanted to keep it that way. As he was contemplating all of this, he didn't notice Victoire slinking closer to his spot by the window.

"Well," she said, her voice getting husky and womanly while her fingers played with his ratty t-shirt, "maybe I should date someone else."

His heart stopped. Because if she was saying what he thought she was saying …

"Victoire," he got out as he started to lean into her, "I—"

"Girls!" Bill Weasley called from across the garden. "Louis! Time to go, kids!"

"Fuck," Teddy spat out, his head hitting the wall behind him before looking back to the girl he just couldn't catch a break with. "Look Vic, I—"

That was when she grabbed him by the back of his neck and pulled him down for what was quickly decided by Teddy to be the best first kiss of his fucking life. The sweet smell of her hair and her hand threading the hair on the back of his neck and her tongue darting out like a wild thing. Later that night he would curse himself for not putting his arms around her and his hands on her, but all his brain could manage was to kiss her back. The kiss was far too short for his liking, with her pulling back only seconds after she made her move. He blinked and saw her backing up. He blinked and she was at the door.

* * *

"… So that was it? You didn't go after her?" Harry said once Teddy stopped talking.

"I tried!" he said exasperated, "Once my brain started working, I tried. But by the time I got to the house, they had flooed away."

"And now …"

"Now I don't know what the hell I'm going to do!"

"Well, you could always," Harry said, "You know … date her."

Teddy gaped at his uncle. "I … I can't just date Victoire."

"Why not?"

"Because … she's Victoire. And I've known her forever. And Bill would kill me and she might not even really like me and," he tried to think of something else to add to his defense, ending with "And I'm too old for her."

His godfather stared at him for what seemed like ages before bursting out laughing.

"What?" Teddy asked, irked at missing what was so hilarious about the situation.

"Oh nothing," Harry said, "I just forget sometimes how much you're like your dad."

"What are you talking about?" It wasn't that he hadn't been compared to his dad before … everyone in the Order had told him at one point or the other stories about his dad that reminded him of himself. But when it came to relationships, he had always been compared to his mom — a major flirt who wore his heart on his sleeve.

"Teddy," his godfather said, "Before your parents got married, your dad was convinced your mom had made a mistake choosing him. He brought up the age difference, the werewolf factor, the fact that he was a poor ex-teacher … but when it came down to it, she wanted him anyway. Your dad was it for your mom."

Teddy was gobsmacked — he had heard this story in different forms over the years, but he had never quite related to his dad in that situation. But he did now. And it sucked.

"If it makes you feel better," Harry said, "the looks you give Victoire when she isn't looking? She gives you the same when you're not looking."

"Really?" Teddy asked, perking up a bit.

"Ted, she kissed you," Harry said, "I'm pretty sure that's a good sign."

He smiled … that was a good sign, wasn't it?

"Now," Harry said, putting a hand on his godson's shoulder, "if you don't mind, I have a wife to get back to. I'd tell you that you're free to stay the night, but …"

Yeah, he definitely didn't want to be around to hear anything else. Actually, Teddy wondered how they had been so lucky that the kids hadn't woken up. It took him until he and Uncle Harry got to the living room fireplace to remember Lily excitingly telling him only hours before about how she and her brothers were staying over at Hugo and Rose's house overnight.

"Shit," Teddy said, "The kids are gone … you had this night planned for the two of you, didn't you?"

Harry smirked. "Sort of."

"I feel like an arse now."

"You can make it up to me by doing something about you and Victoire … and by leaving right now," Harry added, giving his godson a mostly joking shove into the fireplace.

The rest of the night went rather well for Mr. Potter (and Mrs. Potter, for that matter). He also wasn't exactly shocked three days later when his oldest son ran down Platform 9 3/4 to let the whole family know who he saw snogging their cousin.


End file.
